theorywatch

We talked quite a bit about the importance of “learning games” in LIS 5433, and here’s one that I wish I’d found to share during the semester: Akinator. What was especially impressive to me was not only its ability to eventually “guess” the character I had in mind (Jane Austen’s Emma Woodhouse), but how good and close even its wrong guesses were: first, Austen’s Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice and then, Anne Elliott from Persuasion.)

I’d love to see the algorithm this must be using for “learning by doing.” Players can enter unguessed characters into its database, which must help it “learn” for next time, so, the more people play, the smarter Akinator gets!